Track-sweeper.



No. 646,087. Patented Mar. 27, I900.

F. u. BRANCH.

TRACK SWEEPER.

(Application filud Dec. 14, 1899.1 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

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No. 646,087. Patented Mar. 27, I900.

F. D. BRANCH. TRACK SWEEPER.

(Application filed Dec. 14, 1899.!

2 Shets-Sheet 2.

1170c r lor (No Model.)

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NTTED STATES PATENT ()rrics.

FRANK D. BRANCH, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

TRACK -SWEEPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 646,087, dated March27, 1900. Application filed December 14,1899. -Serial No. 740,314. (Nomodel) To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK D. BRANCH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Decatur, in the county of Macon and State of lllinois, haveinvented a new and useful Track Sweeper, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to tracksweepers and is intended for generalapplication to street or tram cars or motor-cycles; and the object ofthe same is to provide a simple and efficient device of this characteradapted to be quickly attached to or detached from the truck mechanismand reversible for use at either end of the device to which itis'applied, the several parts being under complete control from theplatform or supporting-frame above and include automatically-operatingstructural features and means of adjustment to compensate for thereversal of the brushes to equalize the wear on said brushes and alsohaving an arrangement whereby the elevation of the brushes willsimultaneously render them inactive by disconnection from the drivingmechanism.

WVith these and other objects andadvantages in View the inventionconsists in the construction and arrangement of parts which will be morefully hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 isa top plan view of a portion of the truckmechanism of a car and the major part of the improved device appliedthereto. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of the car and truck,showing the improved device applied in operative position thereto andillustrating the brushes down in working relation to the rails. Fig. 3is a similar View showing the brushes raised.

Similarnumerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

In the drawings the improved device is shown applied to parts of anordinary street or tram car which maybe propelled by any suitable motivepower, enough of the truck mechanism being illustrated to show the modeof attaching the improved device.

The numerals 1 and'2 designate axles, having outer wheels'3 to move overthe track 1.

The improved device comprises a frame 5, having converged extensions 6at the opposite ends, and bolted to the side beams or bars 7 are hangers8, which extend up to and have passed therethrough the axles 1 and 2.Said axles 1 and 2 loosely rotate in the hangers 8, and the frame 5 isthereby suspended and may be removed by detaching thesaid hangers fromthe beams or bars'7 and reversed and said hangers afterward reconnected.Extending transversely across theforward extremity of one of theextensions 6 is a shaft 9, having keyed thereon a power-receiving gear10, of beveled form, and also provided at opposite extremities withpower-transmitting gears 11. A driving-gear 12 is fastened to the axle1, and in continual mesh therewith is a beveled pinion 13, which is freeto rotate ona longitudinally-extending shaft 14 and has connectedthereto a clutch member 15, of female form, which is adapted to beengaged by a slidable male clutch member 16, feathered on the shaft 14and operated by a yoke 17, having a forwardly-extending hori- *zontalarm 18, with a guide stud or bolt 19 extending upwardly therefrom andmovable in a slot 20 of a guide-plate 21, supported by rearwardly-extending bracket-arms 22, which are bolted at their front extremities toa crossbeam 23 of the frame 5. Between the forward bolted extremities ofthe bracket-arms 22 a journal-box 21 is located, and the shaft lat'hasbearing therein, a coil-spring 25 surmember 16, will automatically moverearwardly and establish an operative relation be tween the two clutchmembers. On the front extremity of the shaft 14 a motion-imparting gear26 is secured and meshes continuously with the gear 10, and it will beseen that so far as the'gear connection is concerned they are allcontinually in operative relation to each other, and the control of thedriving power relatively to the movement of the brushes is had solelythrough the clutch members heretofore described.

On the shaft 9, outside of the opposite portions of the front extremityof the reduced extension 6, on which said shaft is mounted,fulcrum-hangers 27 are disposed and connected to forward projections 28of brush-frames 29, which are disposed obliquely or have an inward anglerelatively to the longitudinal disposition of the device to which theyare applied and the track-rails over which they work. Each of the saidframes 29 has a brushrecess 30, and at the entrance thereto at oppositesides boxes 31 and 32 are secured, in which a brush-shaft 33 is mountedto freely rotate and has thereon a brush 34. The front extremity of thebrush-shaft 33 is supplied with an operating beveled gear 35, which isfast thereto and meshes with the adjacent motion-imparting gear 11, andfrom the said gear 11 the shaft 33 has a downward inclination, and suchangle is also carried out in the arrangement of the brush-frame 29. Bythis means the rear extremity of the brush 34 is brought to bear on thetrack-rail, and the parts are so constructed that the brush-shaft 33 canbe removed from the boxes 31 and 32 and the gear 35 removed from the endof said shaft, as shown in Fig. 1, and applied to the opposite end tothereby reverse the brush and equalize the wear on the same. The normaltendency of the brush-frame 29, together with the brush-shaft and brushcarried thereby, is to depress toward the track-rail, and when free todo so the brush will automatically assume a working position -on therail. This operation is obtained by means of a vertically-disposed rodor bolt 36, held in the outer extremities of divergent bracket-arms 37,which have their inner ends firmly attached to the front extremity ofthe adjacent side beam or bar 7 of the frame 5, and surround ing thesaid rod or bolt 26 is a spring 38, which bears at its oppositeextremities, respectively, against the upper bracket-arm 37 and the topportion of the frame 29. To compensate for the change of position of theframe 29 when elevated or lowered, a slot 39 is formed in said frame 29for the passage therethrough of the rod or bolt 36, and thereby avoidbinding of the parts or interference with the adjustable movementdesired to be effected.

Vhen the frame 29 is elevated or lowered, the fulcrum-hanger 27 freelymoves on the shaft 9 and the gears 11 and 35 continually remain in mesh,it being observed that the rod or bolt 36 extends through the outerinner corner of the frame 29, and thereby a greater movement in avertical direction is permitted, and, furthermore, that portion of thebrush 34 which is to be held down closely to the track is maintained inits desired working position.

The means for moving or adjusting the brushes consists of a bell-cranklever 40, pivotally connected at its elbow to the under forward portionof a platform or supporting-bed of the device to which the brush isattached, and to one arm thereof is movably attached a headed foot post41, which extends up through and is freely movable in the said platformor supporting-bed and in convenient arrangement for engagement by amotorman or other operator. To the other arm of the bellcrank lever isattached a pull-chain 42, which has the divergent members 43, extendingthrough direction-pulleys 44 and depending to the rear inner portions ofthe brush-frames 29, where they are fastened to the eyes 45 in rear ofthe position of the rods or bolts 36. Also attached to the pulley-chain42 is a downwardly-extending clutch-controlling member 46, which isattached to an eye 47 at the front extremity of the arm 18. Theseseveral chain members are so regulated primarily that the tension on thesame will be equal, so that when the pull-chain 42, controlling all ofsaid chain members, is drawn forwardly by a depression of the post 41,as shown in Fig. 3, both brush-frames 29 will be equally elevated,

.and simultaneously therewith the male clutch member 16 will bedisconnected from the clutch member 15, thereby immediately causing aninactivity of the brushes. \Vhen the pressure on the post 41 has beenrelieved therefrom, the clutch-spring 25 and the springs 38 are free toact and respectively restore the clutch member 16 in operativeconnection with the clutch member 15 and position the brushes 34 inproper relation to the trackrails. This operation is accomplishedwithout shifting or moving gears or shafts in the least, and mechanism,usually necessary for the purpose and heretofore employed in analogousdevices, is entirely dispensed with.

Only one brush frame and its appurtenances have been described; butitwill be understood that both brush-frames are the same in structure,and, as before indicated, the frame 5 may be quickly reversed toaccommodate a change of direction of movement of the device to which itis applied, or, if desired, similar mechanism may be attached toopposite extremities of the said frame 5 and which would require but aduplication of the parts. The improved form of sweeper is not intendedto absolutely supplant the regular track sweeper or cleaner, but isintended to be used principally as an auxiliary thereto and serve toclear the rails of any snow or ice that may become deposited thereon andis es pecially effective in its use with electric-motor cars tothoroughly clean the track-rails and enable the car-wheels to gain aperfect contact with said rails. The materials that will be used inmaking the several parts will be varied to suit difierent conditions andmay be regulated at will.

The brushes may be formed of steel wires, whalebone, wood splints of asuitable nature, or other material, and it will be noted that byinclining the brushes as shown they will be more effective in theircleaning operation by IOO reason of the fact that clogging is lessliable to ensue, and, furthermore, the life of the brush is prolonged,asless wearing-surface is brought into conjunction with the rail.Furthermore, the springs 37 will tend to maintainauniform pressure ofthe brushes on the rail, and when the said brushes gradually wear thesaid springs will also effectively operate to continue their depressingfunction within predetermined limits, and in the event of the brushesstriking resisting obstacles they will not be injured, but will bepermitted to automatically rise, and after passing said obsta cles Willimmediately resume their normal position.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction maybe resorted to without in the least departing from the principle orsacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In atrack-sweeper of the character set forth, the combination with a movableelement, oppositely-disposed brushes adapted to be elevated,intermediate mechanism between the said brushes and the movable elementoperating the parts, a clutch throwing in or out the movable effect ofsaid element, and means attached to said brushes and clutch forsimultaneously disconnecting the clutch.

and elevating the brushes.

2. In a sweeper of the character set fOliJh9 the combination withoperating mechanism, of adjustable frames normally disposed at adownward-and-rearward angle of inclination from their front elevatedextremities and adapted to be simultaneously elevated,similarly-inclined brushes rotatably mounted in the outer portions ofsaid frames, and flexible operating devices attached to portions of thesaid frames and operable from the platform of the car for simultaneouslyoperating said brushes and frames.

3. In a sweeper of the character set forth, the combination with anoperating element, of a motion-imparting mechanism connected to saidelement, brushes having a fulcrumsupport on said motion-impartingelement, and normally depressed at a rearward downward incline,operating devices between the motion-imparting mechanism, and means forsimultaneously elevating the brushes and throwing the operating elementout of connection with the said motion-imparting mechanism. I

.4. In a sweeper of the character set forth, the combination with anoperating element, of a motion-imparting mechanism movably connected tosaid element, brush-frames having fulcrum-supports on opposite portionsof the said motion-imparting mechanism, brushes rotatably carried by thesaid frames and having operative connection with said motion-impartingmechanism, said brushes and frames being depressed and disposed at adownward rearward angle of inclination, yielding means for holding therear portions of said frame depressed, and means for automaticallyelevating the said brushes and frames and disconnecting themotion-imparting mechanism from the operating element.

5. In a sweeper of the character set forth, the combination of an axlehaving a gear thereon, a longitudinally-disposed shaft carrying a loosepinion in continual mesh with the said gear, a spring-actuated clutchconnection between the said shaft and pinion, a

transverse shaft in rotatable relation to the said longitudinal shaft,and having gears on opposite extremites thereof, brush-frames movablysupported by said transverse shaft and carrying rotatable brushes havinggears in mesh with those on the transverse shaft, devices for yieldinglyholding the brush= frames and brushes in depressed angular position, andmeans for simultaneously elevating the brush-frames and brushes and un=shipping the clutch from the said pinion.

6. In a sweeper of the character set forth, the combination with anoperating element, of motion-imparting mechanism, intermedi* ateoperating mechanism between the said motion-imparting mechanism and thesaid element, brush-frames fulcrumed on opposite portions of the saidmotion-imparting mechanism and having a normal downward and-rearwardinclination, brushes rotatably carried by the said frames,spring-actuated pins extending through the said frame, the said springsbearing upon the upper portion of the frame, and means for elevating theframe and brushes and throwing the intermediate mechanism out ofoperation with the motion-imparting mechanism.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK D. BRANCH.

\Vitnesses:

TILLIE E. SCHMINK, A. J. FROST.

